Beech K35 accident near Holland, Michigan, August 16, 2000
On August 16, 2000 at about 3:15 am local time, a Beech K35, registered N6099E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holland, Michigan (Tulip City Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the misjudged glidepath by the pilot. Factors to the accident were the loose throttle cable due to improper installation by maintenance personnel, and the intentional engine shutdown during the precautionary landing by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2000 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Holland, Michigan · Tulip City Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech K35 · all K35s on the register
- Registration
- N6099E · no longer on the register · serial D5986
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while in flight, he found that the throttle control would only operate between 3/4 throttle and full throttle. The pilot elected to land the aircraft. When he believed that he was at a point where a safe landing could be made on the runway, the pilot shut off the engine and attempted to glide the aircraft to landing. The aircraft came to rest about 100 yards short of the runway. A postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed that the bolt that attaches the clamp for the throttle cable housing in the engine compartment was loose. The position of the throttle cable housing limited the movement of the throttle and the housing could be moved within the clamp. The aircraft engine had been overhauled and reinstalled in the aircraft at the last annual inspection completed on April 15, 2000.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 747 hours in all; 59 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,812 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2000; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIV at 2:45 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from BIV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.